Folding bed or crib.



no. 655,950 Patenten Aug. 14, |000.v

- .1. P. BALsEn.

FOLDING BED 0R CRIB.

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No. 655,950. Patented Aug. yI4, |900. J. P. BALSER.

FOLDING BED 0R CRIB.

(Application lad Ja. 12, 1900.)

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UNrTED rStn-TES PATENT Cierres.

JOHN P. BALSER, OF. NEW YORK, N. Y;

FOLDING BED OR CRIB.

sPncrrcnrron forming .part of Letters Patent No. 655,950, dated August, 14, 1900. Application iiled January 12, 1900. Serial No. 1,193. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. BALSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds or Cribs, of which the following is a full and complete specification, suchas willy enable those skilled in the art to whichit appertains to `make and use" the same.

This invention relates to folding beds or cribs; and the object thereof is to provide a device of this class the. parts of which may be readily extended into operative position as a bed and which may be contracted or folded into position to serve as a table,dresser,

or similar construction.`

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specilied.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which like refer ence characters denote. corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding bed or crib constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section thereof on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view thereof with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof with the parts contracted or folded into position to serve as a table, dresser, or similar construction.

AIn the practice of my invention I provide a central or body portion, (denoted by the general reference character 7,) at opposite sides of which are pivotally connected a foot portion and a head portion, (respectively denoted by the reference characters 8 and 9.) The body portion 7 consists of side uprights 7 and upper and lower side pieces 7b and 7C, respectively, and cross-pieces 7d, which are shown in full lines in Fig. 4. There are preferably two series of the cross-pieces 7d, each of which consists oftwo of said cross-pieces, the ends of which are relatively spaced and connected with the'uprights 7a and the central portionsof which cross and are connected at 7e, as vshown in Fig. 5.

The footpiece 8 consists of upper and lower foot-rail 9i, which is frame-shaped lin form,

in connected with the cross-piece 8e and serves as a guard to maintain the mattress in position upon the bed, as will be later seen. The upper and lower side pieces 8 and 8b, respectively, at each side of the bed are connected by toggle-arms 10 at 10 and 10b, respectively, and said toggle-arms are connected adjacent their lower ends by a cross-piece 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The head portion of the bed (denoted by the general reference character 9) consists of upper and lower side pieces 9 and 9b, respectively, the forward ends of which are pivotally connected with the side pieces 7b and 70, respectively, of the body portion 7 at 9c and 9d, respectively. The rearmost ends of the side pieces 9a and 9b at each side of the bed are connected by toggle-arms 12 at 12a and 12b, respectively. The rearmost ends of the side pieces 9a of the head portion of the bed are connected by a Vertical cross-piece 9e, and fixed thereto is an upwardly-directed headboard 13. Pivoted to the headboard 13 at each side and to the adjacent side piece 9 of the head portion 9 is a guard-piece 1 4, the outer end of which isprovided with a projection 15, which is adapted to be swung into position to be engaged with an opening 16 in the adjacent side piece 7l of the body portion 7.

The side pieces 7b, 8, and 9E, respectively, of the body portion, foot portion, and head portion of the construction described are pref- IOO lVith the parts in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 the bed or crib is in extended or operative position, and a mattress (not shown) may be supported upon the side pieces 7b, 8, and 0, and the cross-piece 90 and will be prevented from displacement by the headboard 13, the foot-rail 9f, and the guard-pieces 14:. The guard-pieces 14 are particularly adapted for use in a folding-crib construction and may be omitted in constructing folding beds according to my invention.

When it is desired to use the construction herein described in the form of a table,dresser, or similar construction, the side pieces S of the foot portion 8 are raised into an upright position, the projections 15 ofthe guard-piece 14 are detached from the aperture 16 in the side pieces 7l, and the side pieces 9 of the head portion 0 are raised into an upright position until the several parts assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5, whereby the headboard 13 assumes a horizontal position and the guard-pieces 11 depend therefrom at the sides of the bed. The foot-rail 9" rests beneath the free end of the headboard 13, and all the parts are so combined as to compose a construction approximately rectangular in cross-section, whereby the headboard 13 operates as the top of the table or dresser, all of which is clearly shown in Fig. 5, and, if desired, suitable draperies may be arranged to depend from the edges of the headboard 13, whereby the remaining parts of the construction are obscured from View. As the side pieces 8 and 9 rise into the upright positions immediately hereinbefore described the toggle-arms 10 and 12 of the foot portion 8 and head portion 9 respectively assume likewise an upright position, and the side pieces Sb and 9 similarly assume vertical upright positions, whereby all the parts are ap proximately positioned within the vertical plane of the body portion 7.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein described, but reserve the right to vary the same within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A folding bed or crib, comprisinga central body portion, a foot portion and a head portion, each pivotally connected therewith and arranged to be swung into raised position, said head portion being provided with a headboard, and guard-pieces connected at oneend with said headboard and adapted to be connected with said body portion when the parts are in operative position as a bed, and to be detached from said body portion when said headboard and foot portion are swung upwardly, whereby with the parts in the latter position, said headboard may serve as a tabletop, and said guards will depend into position to prevent displacement of the bedclothing, substantially as shown as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of January, 1900.

JOHN P. BALSER.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, C. C. OLsEN. 

